2008 for me was the worst year of my life, a year where everything that could go wrong seemed to go wrong, the only saviour was a glimmering light in December.

2008 started off quite well, I was in a relationship, be it a long distance one, I was still quite happy and content at the way things were going. New Year came, and I spent the evening with close friends, drinking, smiling, dancing and as the clock struck 12, hugging. I felt like 2008 was going to be a great year.

Speed forwards a few months, I was working for BT enjoying going into work everyday, but more than that enjoying the company of my friends at work and on the many nights out we had. My boyfriend was in the army so many weekends were reserved for me and him, time to catch up on each others week and spend time together. After a whirlwind relationship he proposed, looking back, young an niave and knowing what the army can bring I accepted.

We immediately began planning the wedding, with me receivng many reassurances that this is what he wanted more than anything. Yes my parents were worried, yes my Dad went mad when he found out, but they knew it was my life, and if I wanted to do something I would. I had a similar reaction from my friends.

Having booked and planned a girly holiday to Ayia Napa for the June and to plan and marry in the August, I planned to use the holiday as a hen party celebration. The months flicked by spending time with family and friends and I continued to be both nervous and excited for the wedding and very excited for the upcoming holiday!!

About a week before me and my friends were due to fly, my boyfriend came home for the weekend. With me due at work early in the morning, I left him in bed, only to hear his phone ringing, I saw the caller ID said it was his friend, a mutual friend, and answered it, only to be met with a girls voice asking who I was and why I was answering his phone, suffice to say the truth emerged and his deception uncovered. He had been cheating on me with another girl for the previous month, and he wasn't sure who he wanted to be with. As you can imagine, mad and upset I made him leave, and have not seen him since. Definately the best decision of my life.

I set off on holiday, obviously upset but looking forward to letting my hair down on my very first girly holiday, and I must say it was the best remedy for my mood!! I had a great time, and managed to forget all my worries, if only for a week. Whilst gone, my family were great in sorting out the returning of my wedding dress and cancelling everything that had been booked thus far.

One thing however they didn't cancel was the room they'd booked for the reception, as the wedding was due to take place 3 after my 21st birthday, we decided to keep the room as my parents would've lost out on a lot of money. They threw me a big birthday bash and invited all my friends and family, and again for other reasons I'll explain later, it was another one of the best decisions we've made.

The party came, and everyone showed, It really was a great night, and members of the family we'd not seen in years after a family row also came, and we were all able to forget the past and move on. I completely forgot the day it was meant to represent and instead looked forward to the future. It was one of the best days of my life.

Sadly the year went even further down from here, on the 9th November 2009 my cousin, who was like a brother to me, was killed in a car accident. Sitting in that hospital waiting for him to be brought in, with the rest of my family, only to learn he had died, was truly the worst experience of my life, and one that I would not want my worst enemy to have to suffer through. The only light from all of this was the fact that on the friday before he died a lot of the family got together in the pub, got drunk, laughed, cried and talked about all the good times together, at the end of the night, he gave me a big hug and said see you soon. It also meant that the day of my birthday party was all the more special, as it was the first time my whole family had been together in years, but sadly the last.

The light at the end of the tunnel came in the form of my current boyfriend in Decemeber, just over a year after losing my cousin, the wounds were still far too raw, but he helped me get through the pain, and for that I will be eternally grateful. I wasn't 100% ready after everything that had happened in the year, but he stayed with me and managed to win me over. We have now been together over a year, and I can honestly say with all my heart, he is the love of my life. I love him more than I've ever loved anyone, and he is more special to me than he will ever understand.